City wants province to release pesticide-ban review
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/06/2019 (2599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Council voted unanimously this morning to ask the province to release its findings from a pesticide ban review it started three years ago.
“It’s about time they got around to it,” Transcona Coun. Shawn Nason said Wednesday. “But they just called an election, so that likely won’t happen any time soon.”
The previous NDP government introduced a ban on cosmetic pesticides in 2015, preventing homeowners, businesses and municipalities from using certain types of chemicals to treat lawns and kill weeds. The province’s website states the intent of the legislation is to reduce exposure of people and pets to pesticides used in lawn care for non-essential purposes.
It also forced people and businesses to use “federally approved, low-risk” pesticide products for lawn care. Those products tend to be more expensive and less effective.
While on the campaign trail in 2016, the Progressive Conservatives said they would launch a review of the pesticide ban. A spokesman for the Tory government said the review is still ongoing.
The review has to progress slowly so producers have time to adjust, the spokesman said, and there’s ample time before the next growing season to get products on store shelves.
The city’s executive policy committee recommended last week that council ask the province to release the findings. A motion passed by the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee last month stated “the challenges of weed management are significant and extremely visible” and “having an appropriate and cost effective approach is critical in balancing environmental and community needs.”
Nason said there has been a steady increase in the amount of weeds popping up since the ban was put in place. He said some of the blame can be put on mowing and seeding practices, but added the city and its citizens need clarity on how to keep grass looking nice while not harming the environment.
nicholas.frew@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @n_frew6